The Cub & the Cougar

Category Archives: Lifestyle

The Cub

I think you’ll find my life interesting. To start, I’m in my 20s living in Manhattan as a young, gay professional. I also live with Nancy who is the best. Why? She’s simply a fabulously-cultured, uptown cougar. Interested yet? In a city where nothing is out of the question, setting new standards for “conventional” is the norm.

So I’m the cub.

I moved to the city after graduation, on a mission to attain what I never found at my small liberal arts college. Don’t get me wrong, I got a lot out of college, but not the life experiences I needed. That being said, for the rest of my 20s I want to create a mental album of memories brimming with lavish anecdotes and absolutely no regrets.

As a forward, stories of my lovely friends will sprinkle these posts because without them my life would not be nearly as interesting. They get me through the days and add to the always eventful nights. As a young gay guy it’s no shocker that girls flock to my company, but I lovingly have my betches, and they have me. Trust

New York is my glittering city.

I believe that loving the place you live is the foundation of happiness. When strolling through Manhattan on a beautiful day can make me smile wider than any silly boy could ever could, it’s validation that NYC fits the here and now perfectly. I’m where I want to be and making the most of it.

In serendipitous NYC fashion, 2 weeks after graduation I moved into Nancy’s beautiful 2 bedroom apartment in a building well-equipped with doormen, a gym, and a pool. I liken my situation to one of those talked-about NYC myths; something you hear about in stories but never actually believe as real. Perfect timing, and the connection of a friend who lives down the hall, were on my side. The apartment is a godsend, but let’s be real, none of this would be bloggable or as perfect without Nancy.

Nancy: She embodies cougar.

I’ll say it again, Nance is the best. She is an inspiration, who sets the bar for my friends and me to work toward. Is legend too much? I don’t think so. Recently divorced a few years ago, she embodies a standard for revamping your life, and making it better. She and I both subscribe to the school of thought that your prime is whenever you make it.

She may be one of the classiest betches you’ll ever meet. She eats with Hermes silverware and often can’t decide which of her Chanel bags to wear. However, that said she is down-to-earth, an effortless conversationalist and not jaded from the extravagant lifestyle she leads. You may find her raging on a rooftop but rest-assured she’ll get up to make that 6 AM spin class.

Most importantly though, she’s young at heart. Armed with a treasure chest of life advice, only attainable from living through the good and the bad, she truly has a joie de vivre that I aspire to one day personify. She pulls off the looks of a 40-year old, and has the swagger that rivals that of most of my friends.

A Perfectly-Odd couple

I may be young but I’ve always been an old soul. I’m a rationalist and constantly introspective. My pensive bouts keep me very centered and I seem to be often solicited for my “sage” wisdom.

But this is why Nance and I work so well together. Generation, gender, sexual orientation? Yes all mismatched. But on accounts of our thoughts on life, our driving principles, our tastes, etc… we connect. Her young spirit and my old soul comprise a fitting match in the city we both love. We meet at the intersection which couldn’t be more perfect.

So why are we doing this?

There are so many times when we’re sitting on the terrace, sharing advice, validating our self-worth and laughing about the events that color our wonderful lives and we stop and say, these conversations should be shared. Between the two of us, sprinkled with the stories of our friends, we possess a thread of stories beckoning for a soapbox. I hope that you find our posts entertaining, pick up a few new options for a swank night out, or simply glean a piece of advice from our thoughts on life. Who knows where I’ll be in 10 years, but for me this blog is a chance to immortalize the here and now: My life shared with remarkable Nancy.

The Cougar

Brian is fond of saying “Nancy and I are good for each other” and this is the absolute truth. Brian, as you will come to see, is an uncommonly mature, composed, accomplished and exotically handsome young man. His qualities not only align with mine but enhance them. I am an uncommonly swagalicious cougar babe who has a life story you’d like to know. Brian brings out the best in me. I do the same for him. ALL relationships should be this good!

But as we know….they are not. Which is why we rejoice in what serendipity has brought us.

At my age life has already presented its share of challenges but Brian, a twenty-something, is just starting that learning curve, that delicious time when graduates leave the cocoon of college and enter the “real” world. Manhattan can be a tough place to rise up the corporate ladder, find an apartment or a date. (Thanks to Brian I know the difference between Tinder & Grinder). Fortunately it also provides a magnificent place to be starting over as I am or starting out as is Brian.

Having a hole in my life after my divorce, it was ready to be filled with someone. Fate, in the form of a wonderful neighbor, brought Brian to me. What is interesting is that our relationship has been perfect from the start! Yes, you heard me say perfect. We acknowledged each eachother’s space by creating healthy boundaries, and honored them. Over time and without pressure we learned more about each other and became closer. It seems as if we opened our eyes one day and noticed how great the other person was. And so a great friendship was born.

I want to write this blog and chronicle my life with Brian because we have succeeded – without even trying – in creating a great relationship. We are modeling for each other what we want in our future. That might be a hot hook up, a stable boyfriend, a lover for life, a husband, or a partner. What we are living today with each other is the basis for our future great relationships with fabulous other people. Because we were accepting of our obvious differences such as age, we let ourselves find what connected us. We have fun through life’s ups & downs. We let life happen and, when needed resort to jello shots or a good Bordeaux to get us through. As one of Brian’s beautiful and brainy posse said recently “I am in love with my life” and I can say – “me too!” The young and the old(er) meet in that place where life is still viewed with enthusiasm, new experiences add at times comic and always interesting spice to life.

If you are wondering what will happen to us tomorrow, stay tuned. Together we are living life as it’s meant to be lived – as a wild and crazy adventure – runnin’ down our dream in the Manhattan canyons. Together. How sweet it is.